Northeast Michigan Oral History and Historic Photograph Archive

INDEPENDENCE (1843, Propeller)

Description


Identification
Vessel name:
INDEPENDENCE
Year of Build:
1843
Construction and Ownership
Built at:
Chicago, IL
Vessel Type:
Propeller
Note: Schooner rigged, scroll head.
Hull Materials:
Wood
Number of Decks:
1
Builder Name:
James M. Averill
Original Owner and Location:
R.C. Bristol et al, Chicago, IL.
Ownership Notes:
Bristol, Porter & Turner.
Power
Number of Masts:
2
Propulsion:
Screw
# Propellers:
2
Propulsion Notes:
Two rotary engines. Wood burner. Ericson's propellers.
Hull Dimensions
Length:
118' 4.5"
Beam:
25' 3.5"
Depth:
9' 6.5"
Tonnage (old style):
261 2/95
Final Disposition
Final Location:
St. Mary's River near Sault Ste. Marie.
Lake Superior.
Date:
21 Nov 1853
How:
Boiler explosion, sank.
Notes:
1854 Dismantled. 1933 Dredging operations brought up 2 propellers & hull timbers; 1 propeller wheel mounted in park next to MacArthur lock.
History
Chronology:

First steamer built on Lake Michigan & first steamer on Lake Superior; at first relied mainly on sails, motor speed only 4mph in calm weather.

1843, Sep 4 Enrolled Detroit, MI; owned R.C. Bristol of Bristol & Porter, Chicago, IL.

1843, Oct Collision with steamer BUNKER HILL 20 miles south of Milwaukee, WI; cargo 11,000 bushels wheat.

1844, Apr 24 Aground off Fort Gratiot, MI.

1844 Re-engined to improve speed, coal burning, propellers altered.

1845, Jun Hauled over portage around St.Mary's River rapids on rollers; took 7 weeks.

1846, May 1 Michilimackinac District.

1846 Carried freight goods, copper & passengers during 1946 "copper rush" between Soo & Copper Harbor, MI; carried a 1,750 pound mass of pure copper.

1849, May 1 Enrolled Sault Ste. Marie; owned John R. Livingstone et al, Sault Ste Marie, ONT; 2 decks.

1850 Chartered to Sheldon McKnight to run Sault Ste. Marie to Ontonagon, MI.

1850, Sep Carried copper from Cliff Mine to Washington monument.

1850, Dec 1 Ashore Lake Superior; arrived at Sault Ste Marie Jul 31, 1851.

1851 Enrolled Mackinaw, MI; ran in S. McKnight Superior Line.

1851, Aug 29 Repairs at railway drydock at head of portage.

1852, Apr 2 New engine & boiler.

1852, Oct 10 (or 7) Ashore Bad River, WI, 5 miles out of Ashland, WI; dredged out Oct 1853 & refitted at LaPointe, WI.

1853, Nov 21 Boiler explosion, sank.

Notes
From the Collection of:
C. Patrick Labadie
Contact
Contact
Alpena County George N. Fletcher Public Library
Email:specialcollections@alpenalibrary.org
Website:
Agency street/mail address:
211 N. First Ave.
Alpena, Michigan 49707
USA
(989)356-6188
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